Biography
George Nobechi (b. 1980) is a Tokyo-born photographer, visual artist, and writer whose work explores the complexities of cultural identity and the emotional terrain of isolation. Raised between Japan and Canada, he draws on a dual perspective— being both an insider and outsider in each—to craft quiet, introspective images rooted in memory and longing.
Although Nobechi first encountered film photography as a child, it wasn’t until a solo world trip in his late 20s—amid burnout from a career in finance—that he took up a camera. A pivotal moment came in 2014 while living in New York, when he encountered the Photoville festival. Inspired by its community, he left his business life behind and headed to the American Southwest. There, he joined the Santa Fe Workshops as a Work Study and studied under photographers such as Brett L. Erickson and Sam Abell, who encouraged him to pursue photography professionally. Over the next three years, he wandered between places, making images that reflected themes of dislocation, memory, and belonging.
Nobechi’s breakout series Here. Still. (aka Unmoored) earned a Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50 award and was named Best Landscape Series in PDN’s The Curator awards. The series led to a solo debut at the Jackson Dinsdale Art Center and was later exhibited in Texas, Germany, and New York, including at Photoville—the very festival that first inspired him.
In 2022, he premiered large-scale washi works in Eastern Light, Western Wind at the Frederick Harris Gallery in Tokyo. A 2023 solo exhibition at Fujifilm Square titled Roads to Denali, about a road trip through the North American Northwest that his father had loved, led to a major solo show at the Canadian Embassy’s Prince Takamado Gallery. That exhibition, Yamabiko | Echo, marked the 95th anniversary of Canada–Japan relations. He also debuted Phoenix Rises, a project on unique volcanic formations in his hometown, at the Hiroshi Senju Museum in Karuizawa.
In 2024, he was invited to exhibit in WONDER Mt. FUJI at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. Curator Naoko Ohta likened his sensibility to that of Robert Frank, praising his ability to “bring a sense of wonder to photographs of daily life.”
Nobechi is also a community builder. He founded the Evenings with the Masters® speaker series during the pandemic, raising $70,000 for charity, and launched Karuizawa Foto Fest in 2022. In 2024, he created Art for Noto, a charity print initiative following the New Year’s Day disaster.
His work has been featured in The Japan Times, Newsweek Japan, Asahi Camera Magzine and more, and is held in collections including the Center for Creative Photography (University of Arizona) and the Canadian Embassy to Japan. He is represented by Patricia Conde Galeria (Mexico City), Momentum Fine Art (Miami), Webster Collection (Santa Fe) and is at work on his first monograph.
野辺地ジョージ(ノベチ・ジョージ)
野辺地ジョージ（1980年生まれ）は、フォトグラファー、ビジュアルアーティスト、著者である。 彼の作品は、文化的アイデンティティの複雑さと孤立の感情的な領域を探求している。日本とカナダで育った彼は、両方の文化を経験した二重の視点から、記憶と懐かしさに 根ざした静かで内面的な写真を求めている。
小学生の頃からフイルムカメラを持ち歩いたが、 その後父親の急死や、 仕事のためにカメラ との繋がりは遠のいた。 20代後半に金融業界での燃え尽き症候群から抜け出すため、 ソロの 世界旅行を記録するために再びカメラを手に取った。 2014年にニューヨーク在住時、 Photoville写真祭に出会い、 感銘を受け、 ビジネスのキャリアを離れ、 アメリカ南西部へと 旅立った。 サンタフェ市の写真学校でインターンとして入校し、 ブレット・L・エリクソンや サム・エイベルといった写真家から指導を受け、 プロとしての道を歩むよう励まされた。 3年間旅を続け、 離散、 記憶、 帰属といったテーマを反映した作品を制作した。
2017年に代表作「Here.Still.」 （別名「Unmoored」） は、 Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50賞を受賞し、 PDNの「The Curator」賞で最優秀風景シリーズに選出された。 このシリーズは ジャクソン・ディンズデール・アート・センターでの個展デビューをきっかけに、 テキサス、 ドイツ、 ニューヨークなどで展示された。
2022年、 東京のフレデリック・ハリス・ギャラリーで「Eastern Light, Western Wind」展に おいて、 大規模な和紙作品を初公開した。
2023年、 富士フイルム・スクエアでの個展「Roads to Denali」は、 父親が愛した北米北西部の ロードトリップをテーマにした作品を発表し、 カナダ大使館の高円宮記念ギャラリーでの大規模個展につながった。 その展覧会「やまびこ | Echo」は、 カナダ・日本修好95周年を記念した。
また、 浅間山の噴火によってできた溶岩樹型をテーマにした「Phoenix Rises：蘇る命」を、 軽井沢の千住博美術館ギャラリーで発表した。 2024年には、東京都写真美術館で開催された「WONDER Mt. FUJI」に参加アーティストとして召集された。 キュレーターの太田菜穂子氏は、彼の感性を、「日常生活の写真でワンダーを感じさせる」と評価した。
野辺地は慈善活動もしている。 パンデミック中にオンライン・トークシリーズ「Evenings with the Masters®」を設立し、 7万ドルの慈善寄付金を集めました。 2022年には「軽井沢フォト フェスト」を立ち上げた。 2024年には、能登半島地震の義援として、 チャリティプリント プロジェクト「Art for Noto」を立ち上げた。
野辺地は「The Japan Times」、 「ニューズウィーク日本版」、 「信濃毎日新聞」、 「Lenscratch」や「HuffPost」などの国内外の大手メデイアに紹介され、 作品は アリゾナ大学 Center for Creative Photography やカナダ大使館などのコレクション にも収蔵されている。 Patricia Conde Galería （メキシコシティ） に所属し、 現在は初の 写真集の刊行に向けて、 軽井沢町で製作を進めている。 日本写真家協会会員。
Solo Exhibitions 個展
2025. Tokyu Harvest Club Karuizawa & VIALA "Eastern Light, Western Wind"「東の光、西の風」1/16~3/20/2025
2024. Park Hotel Tokyo Corridor Gallery 34 "Eastern Light, Western Wind"
2023. Tokyu Harvest Club Karuizawa & VIALA「Phoenix Rises: 蘇る命」
2023. Mediterranean House of Photography "The Japan I Hadn't Seen"
2023. HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM KARUIZAWA GALLERY 「Phoenix Rises 蘇る命」
2023. FUJIFILM SQUARE, Midtown, Tokyo, Japan "Roads to Denali" 「デナリへの道」
2022. Frederick Harris Gallery, Tokyo American Club, Japan "Eastern Light, Western Wind"
2022. A Smith Gallery, Johnsonville, Texas "Here.Still. (Unmoored)"
2020. Photoville 2020, New York, NY: "Here.Still."
2020. Gastfeld Gallery, Bremen, Germany: "Here.Still."
2019. Detroit Center for Contemporary Photography: "Unmoored" (Here.Still.)
2018. Workspace Gallery, Lincoln, NE: "Unmoored"
2018. Art Photo Index, Photo-Eye Gallery, Santa Fe: "Unmoored" (Here.Still.)
2018. Australian Museum for Contemporary Photography, Sydney, AUS: "Unmoored" (Here.Still.)
2018. "Moments of Serenity" Walls of the World Gallery, Penne, Italy, Solo Exhibition
Group Exhibitions グループ展
2025. Patricia Conde Galería at Zona Maco 2025- Mexico City
2024. Tokyo Photographic Art Museum "WONDER Mt. FUJI"
2023. "De luz salvaje y esplendida" Patricia Conde Galeria, Mexico City
2021. ”Est Quod Visum Placet" Patricia Conde Galeria
2021. "Satoru" Nobechi Creative Exhibition at Louisville Photo Biennial
2020. Pausa: Patricia Conde Galeria, Mexico City
2020. "Next" Another Fair, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2020. Griffin Museum of Photography, Winchester MA 26th Annual Juried Members' Exhibition
2020. Analog Forever "Light" April
2020. Lenscratch "Self-Quarantining" Exhibition, April 2020
2019. Vancouver Art Space, "Winterscape Abstraction" Juried Art Exhibition November 2019
2019. Patricia Conde Galeria, Mexico City, MEX Confluencias Group Exhibition
2019. Patricia Conde Galeria, Mexico City, MEX, FotoFest Discoveries, Unmoored (Here.Still.)
2018. "Next" Filter Photo Festival Members' Five Artist Exhibition, Fogelson Studios, Chicago IL
2018. "The Print Swap" Feature Shoot Artist Highlight
2018. "A Contemporary Reference of the Human Condition" Edition ONE Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2018. RAIEC Tokyo 2018 (Mt. Rokko International Photo Festival), Tokyo, Japan, Group Exhibition
2018. #UnknownJapan Exhibition, Instagram Japan, Tokyo International Forum Group Exhibition
2018. "The Decisive Moment" PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT- Juried Group Show
2017. The Milk Gallery, New York City: Group Show, August 10, 2017
2017. "The Fine Art of Photography", Plymouth Center for the Arts, MA - Juried Exhibition
2017. "Exposure 2017", Photographic Resource Center, Boston University, MA - Juried Exhibition
2017. Hastings College, Hastings NE - Keynote Address
2017. Sohn Fine Art Gallery, Lenox, MA - 6th Annual Juried Exhibition
2017. "The Color of Light" - PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2017. "Composed" - PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2017. "Still Life: The Ordinary Made Extraordinary"- PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2016. "The Photographic Life, Tokyo" - Temple University, Tyler School of Art, Tokyo Campus - Keynote Speech with Sam Abell and Professor Shinya Watanabe
2016. High and Dry Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2016. Personal Narrative- PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2016. "Man in the Landscape" PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT USA
2016. Instagram Official Blog: Feature on This Week on Instagram
2015. "High and Dry" Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas: - Juried Group Show: 2 images
Awards 賞
2023. Critical Mass Top 200 Finalist "Setagaya-Sen"
2021. Critical Mass 2021 Top 50 Winner "The Japan I Hadn't Seen."
2021. Critical Mass 2021 Top 200 Finalist: "The Japan I Hadn't Seen"
2020. PX3, Paris Photo Prize State of the World Curator Selection Winner: "Japanese Aquariums"
2020. PX3 Paris Photo Prize, Honorable Mention Winner, Nature: "Japanese Aquariums"
2020. Critical Mass 2020 Top 200 Finalist: "Japanese Aquariums"
2020. Analog Forever "Light" First Prize for "Principal's Office, Hagi"
2019. Vancouver Art Space, "Winterscape Abstraction", First Prize
2019. Head On Photo Awards, Sydney, AUS: Finalist, Landscape Award
2019. Siena International Photo Awards, Siena, ITA: Finalist
2018. RFotofolio Selection: "Here.Still."
2018. International Photography Awards, 3rd Place: Fine Art Landscape Series for "Unmoored"
2018. International Photography Awards, Country Pick (Japan) for "Unmoored"
2018. Review Santa Fe Selection 2018
2017. Critical Mass Top 50 Winner: "Here.Still."
2017. Critical Mass Top 200 2017 Finalist: "Here.Still."
2017. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Bronze, Fine Art/Landscape
2017. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Bronze, Nature/Seasons
2017. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Honorable Mention, Nature/Seasons (Series)
2017. The Curator by PDN Magazine, Best in Landscapes
2017. PX3, Paris Photo Prize, Silver Prize "Monograph" Category
2017. PX3, Paris Photo Prize, Silver Prize "Fine Art" Category
2017. InFocus Sidney Zuber Photography Award - Honorable Mention
2017. Life Framer - selected to their "Collection" Membership
2017. "Fellowship 17" - SilverEye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA, Commendation Award
2017. "High and Dry" Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, Honorable Mention
2016. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Gold Prize Winner, "Nature- Seasons"
2016. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Honorable Mention, "People- Lifestyle"
2016. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Honorable Mention, "Architecture, Interior"
2016. Tokyo International Foto Awards: Honorable Mention, "Architecture, Bridges"
2016. Critical Mass Top 200 Finalist: "Unmoored"
Published Works 掲載作品
2025. Celebrating 20 Years of Critical Mass: George Nobechi (2021) and Ingrid Weyland (2022)
2025. Awagami Factory Paper Print Catalogue アワガミファクトリー印字見本帳
2024. George Nobechi in Conversation with Naoko Ohta: Wonder Mt. Fuji
2024. Newsweek 日本版【写真展】情景の「やまびこ」が日本とカナダで共鳴する YAMABIKO/ECHO
2023. 婦人公論「美しい写真と癒しの音楽Vol18〜夏の空の向こうへ〜」
2021. Dodho Magazine: "Japanese Aquariums"
2021. Monocle: A pairing with haiku by Maria Papatzelou: "Lukewarmness of a Departed Presence"
2020. Newsweek Jan 14 Edition (Japan) "Granite and Glass"
2020. Analog Forever Magazine "Principal's Office, Hagi"
2020. HuffPost: "Here. Still."
2020. HuffPost Japan: 孤独の中にある温もり。写真家が見つけた静かな美しさ
2019. Asahi Camera March 2019 Edition: "To Bloom in the North Country"
2017. Edge of Humanity Magazine: "Granite and Glass"
2017. PDNedu Magazine Fall 2017: "Women at Horseshoe Bend"
2017. PDN Magazine August 2017 issue: The Curator Winners
2017. Fraction Magazine, Issue 102: Featured Portfolio
Monthly Publication 月刊連載
Tokyo Shimbun 東京新聞
Fujin Koron 婦人公論
Media, Press and Speaking Engagements
2026. The Crit House "George Nobechi THREE Images"
2025. 軽井沢新聞5月号 軽井沢人物語ー野辺地ジョージ Karuizawa News Paper May Issue Karuizawa Human Story – George Nobechi
2024. 萩まちじゅう博覧会 「＜特別プログラム＞ サム・エイベル×野辺地ジョージ 写真展『萩の色褪せぬ魅力』」
2024. Los Angeles Center of Photography "An Evening with George Nobechi, In-Person"
2024. Photolucida, Juror, Critical Mass 2024
2024. 心に映画と音楽を「写真家: 野辺地ジョージさん（Encounter with George Nobechi）その2」
2024. 心に映画と音楽を「写真家: 野辺地ジョージさん（Encounter with George Nobechi）その1」
2024. artscape 「やまびこ: 野辺地ジョージ写真展」
2024. FUJIFILM "X100VI: Timeless Value x Sam Abell"
2024. 信濃毎日新聞デジタル「支援のお礼は能登の風景写真 寄付者に作品贈るプロジェクト、軽井沢の野辺地さん「復興の力に」
2024. Go NAGANO Juror, Nagano Tourism Association Train Photography Contest:「長野県観光インスタアワード2023-24秋冬」
2024. ANN NEWS「在日カナダ大使館で国交樹立95周年の写真展」
2024. 婦人公論 「日本カナダ修好95周年を記念し『やまびこ：日加修好95周年記念 野辺地ジョージ写真展』が開催」
2024. 展覧会・博物館・美術館・記念館「やまびこ：野辺地ジョージ写真展」
2024. TOKYO ART BEAT「やまびこ：野辺地ジョージ写真展」
2024. アイエム internet museum「日加修好95周年を記念 ― カナダ大使館「野辺地ジョージ写真展 」
2023. The Crit House "George Nobechi - #myfive images"
2023. AERA.dot 「もう一つの祖国カナダからアラスカ州・デナリへ 自分のルーツを旅した写真家・野辺地ジョージ」
2023. FUJIFILM "Reflections: 10 Years with X-Mount" Documentary Film
2023. FUJIFILM X-Series "10-Years of X-Mount" Project
2022. Fujifilm USA: George Nobechi connects with the streets
2022. Nobechi Creative "George Nobechi: Forging a Career in Photography (aka Why I Love Photography): TAC Talk April 2022"
2022. Japan Times "Seeing a New Life" by Kit Nagamura
2022. 菅生新の幸せde Night !!【番組公式配信】レインボータウンFM
2022. Fujifilm X-Series "Reflections" JAPAN: 野辺地ジョージ George Nobechi
2021. Feature on Life-Framer Instagram "Here.Still."
2021. Onaeba Photo Festival: トークイベント「 作品を世に送りだす為のポートフォリオレビューってなに？」
2021. InTouch Magazine, Tokyo (p. 18-19)
2020. Koeln.De: "'Here.Still.' Fotografien von George Nobechi"
2020. Popula.de: "'Here.Still.' Fotografien von George Nobechi"
2020. Artipool.de: "'Here.Still.'Fotografien von George Nobechi"
2020. Venyoo.de: "'Here.Still.Fotografien von George Nobechi"
2020. Weser Kurier: "George Nobechi - 'Here.Still.'"
2020. Lenscratch: Here. Still. May 2020
2019. "The Candid Frame" Episode #496 - International Podcast Interview
2019. Interview on "Focal Point" Radio Trece 1290 MX
2019. "Confluencias" Exhibition Flyer, Patricia Conde Galeria
2019. Artist Talk, "Confluencias" Exhibition, Patricia Conde Galeria
2019. "The Candid Frame" Episode #464 - International Podcast Interview
2018. Grand Island Independent
2018. Inspired by Hastings
2018. Review in aPhotoEditor Magazine by Jonathan Blaustein
2017. Review by Pulitzer-Prize winning art critic Mark Feeney of the Boston Globe
2017. Review by Elin Spring Photo Blog
2017. "The Candid Frame" Episode #364 - International Podcast Interview
2017. Grand Island Independent
Collections 作品収蔵機関
Tucson Medical Center, Healing Art Program, Tucson, AZ
Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ